


Art of Stabbing

by Giulietta



Series: Mari-nyan [34]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Denial, Developing Relationship, Episode: s02 Riposte, Fencing, Fights, Friendship/Love, Gen, Kwami Swap, Oblivious Marinette Dupain-Cheng, POV Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Plagg is a Little Shit (Miraculous Ladybug), Rivalry, Secret Identity, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:20:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24455812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Giulietta/pseuds/Giulietta
Summary: Marinette wakes up in the middle of the night from the buzzing of her phone - A text from Mr. D'Argencourt about the try-outs wait WHAT?!
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Kagami Tsurugi, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Plagg
Series: Mari-nyan [34]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745011
Comments: 4
Kudos: 121





	Art of Stabbing

**Author's Note:**

> Marinette would be an amazing stabber I mean- fencer. Note. Mari is a cat. Easily distracted, playful, observant and patient.  
> She's also Lady Noire so battle is her second nature. Also. I want Marinette to have the same problems as Adrien to seeing a ton of Ladybug lookalikes. XD
> 
> I, as an ex-fencer of the foil, know the usual problems during training..

There are three types of fencing style: the **foil** (safest and strict on rules among the three), the **saber** (close and fair combat) and the **épée (** heaviest and most realistic in real battle).

Considering the need to improve her skills as Lady Noire, Marinette isn't planning to join the team. _**Nooo**_. _What if Hawkmoth is monitoring the players? Worse! What if Misterbug is part of the fencing team?!_ Marinette can't have that. She only needs to hear some tips and gain a bit of experience on said sport at least once. _Plagg did say she needs to experience it first-hand_.

However, if she can be a better Chatte to her Ladybug then why not? Who is she to deny being a part of her school's fencing team?

Marinette counts the number of fencing masks on the table. **Sixteen.** Marinette recalls a number of the fencers graduating last year so there will obviously free space for the team.

However, Mr. D'Argencourt did host a try-out last month which she failed to attend. This last try-out is a now-or-never situation with maybe one or two slots available.

' **Ha!** Who am I kidding? It's surely one slot left.' Marinette huffed. Mr. D'Argencourt really likes increasing the stakes. Why else did she and several others receive a message from their phone reminding them of the appointment. 'It's even from the man himself.'

"Boo!" Plagg popped out from nowhere, causing Marinette to drop her mask and have the rest of the fencing masks fall to the floor.

"Plagg!" Marinette glared at the giggling cat.

"What?" Plagg grinned. "You're nervous and I'm bored!"

"What if people see you?" Marinette huffed, picking up the masks. She forgot which mask fits her now that they're all on the floor. "Stupid big masks!"

"Relax kitten. You crammed the rules last night! Black cats are master crammers in all of history." Plagg circled his chosen, checking if she wore the trainee jacket correctly. "Hey. You sure this will keep you protected? Don't you humans wear thicker cloth on this sport?"

"Sorry but fencing gear is way too expensive." Marinette stared at her flimsy jacket. "In fact, it's weird how the trainee jacket fits more on the foil department."

"Yet the club specializes in saber." Plagg zooms to the sabers dangling on the table. "Good for you. It's closer to our weapon."

"Pros outweigh the cons." Marinette somewhat agrees, setting the last fencing mask onto the table.

*Ding!

"Alya?" Marinette grabbed her phone from her pocket, checking her message. Her eyes bulged out, forgetting one important fact in her unlucky life. **[Don't fall too hard, M. Adrien might be watching. ;)]**

"Plagg! I forgot Adrien is a fencer! How could I forget? I have his schedule in my room and I didn't think about it!" Marinette screamed, panicking as she quickly walked in a circular motion. "Wait. I think I can fix this!"

 **[Please don't tell Adrien I'm trying out today.]** Marinette texted back, smiling at her plan. If there are fifteen fencers in the entire academy then six newbies who wish to join, Mr. D'Argencourt would only ask for six of his students to come and help him in the try-outs. "A seven percent chance Adrien will be here!"

*Ding

**[Lol. The entire class knows.]** Marinette felt her right cheek twitch. Another message is sent to her. **[Blame Kim.]**

"Kim..." Marinette cursed before covering her face. "I can't do this. What if I do humiliate myself in front of him? I just realized I like LIKE him, Plagg!"

"What if I give him a bruise?" Marinette dropped her hands, imagining the angered look of her idol fashion designer. "My three kids will turn to hamsters and I will be their single mother!"

"Stop thinking. You'll do fine." Plagg grabbed a weapon from the selection, floating as he carried the saber. "Now go win then you can buy celebratory cheese for me."

"You... (Marinette heaved.) Fine you glut." Marinette grabbed the saber before looking back at the fencing masks. "Today is a bad day... I can almost smell it."

"..." Plagg sniffs himself just to be sure it's not him. 'Wait. What does bad luck smell like anyways?'

* * *

"I am the fencing master, Mr. D'Argencourt. As I'm sure you're aware, we have only **ONE** open spot on the team this year." Armand D'Argencourt stared at the newbies and then his students. He takes a sniff, smelling the scent of fear and anxiety. "So, in order to select the best possible candidate, I will observe the beginners performing a number of attacks on the experienced students."

"I must not get paired with Adrien." Marinette is wearing her fencing mask, forgetting the fact she is the only one with pink pants. She scans the experts, all wearing the same attire. 'Merde! They all look the same!'

"Get into position." Mr. D'Argencourt ordered, watching his students approach the newbies.

'Someone is approaching me. Act cool.' Marinette thought and the thing she did is stop breathing. She wondered if it's working because the fencer is still walking to her area. The strange news here is that the rest of the fencers don't want to approach this fencer who is heading straight at her.

"Is it okay if I fence with you?" The fencer spoke and Marinette almost thought it was Misterbug who's talking to her.

"S-sure!" Marinette looks at her opponent(?) Thinking back, she realized Misterbug can't be nearby. He said so himself during the Pharoah, something about wanting to get better in History by reading other history books around Paris. Marinette asked, trying to ease the atmosphere. "Mind telling me why the rest of them avoids you?"

"Forget about that. It's nothing really." The fencer reassured but the familiarity of that voice keep bugging her. She knows this voice. It screams Misterbug but it cannot be Misterbug! She refuses to acknowledge it! The fencer asked, sounding pleased with himself. "Ready?"

"Get into position!" Mr. D'Argencourt declared and both got into position. Marinette takes some steps back, somewhat mimicking the other.

"Find the center of your gravity." The fencer instructed and Marinette had to bend a little lower. Just a little because she needs to move fast and poke this guy.

"Wait." The fencer drops his position and Marinette lets him fix her pose. He moves her chest outward and lets her lean forward to strike. "Since the target area is above the waist, try not to expose your entire chest. It's easier to move around with your free hand at the back."

"Less surface exposed. Got it." Marinette can smell the scent of familiar macarons on this guy (even with the fencing mask on) as he held her right wrist to lower the saber.

"45 degrees. Like foil, saber is governed on the right of way." The fencer is being really sweet, but Marinette wants to win, go home and plan how to strangle Kim without Max seeing her tomorrow. Strangle sounds too good for him. _How about a prank?_ Marinette felt the hair behind her back stand up as the fencer cheered. "Perfect."

'Why is he so touchy?' Marinette contemplates. There is only one person who is very touchy-feely on her and that would be Misterbug. 'What if he is Misterbug?!'

"Greet each other." Mr. D'Argencourt declared as Marinette faced this unknown fencer.

"Good luck to us." Marinette smiled, mimicking the fencer as she waved her saber down in a diagonal slashing motion.

"..." The fencer chuckled. Marinette feels warm and tingly. It can't be. She experienced this from only **one person**!

'Did I get Adrien?! Please tell me this isn't Adrien.' Marinette's eyes widened, scavenging her memory to recall what Adrien was considered in the sport of fencing. 'Wait. Of course he'll be good at it. He's called **Perfection** by his fans for a reason. Ah zut! Bad luck why couldn't you come later?!'

"En garde! Prêt, **allez**!"

'What do I do?' Marinette remembers her past memory of a very disapproving fashion designer idol. 'Oh what do I do now?'

"Marinette?" _The fencer knows her name._ The fencer asked and revealed his true identity: Adrien Agreste. Marinette paled at the sight of her crush and her mistake to thinking Misterbug is Adrien. How could she do this to herself?! Adrien and Misterbug are different people. Timebreaker taught her better. Adrien smiled at her. "You're supposed to touch me."

"Y-yeah... Touch you." Marinette is freaking out inside. It sounded really wrong and also very dangerous. She's freaking Lady Noire, heroine that smacks her villains with a baton strong enough to leave a bruise if Misterbug didn't use his **miraculous cure**. Holding a real sharp-ish object (thin enough to make cut-like wounds), Marinette is thinking of bailing or surrendering.

"Hm." Adrien smiled and Marinette could see the entrance of Hell and Heaven. She's probably going to hell with the upcoming sin she will commit. Adrien puts his helmet down and readies himself. "Don't go easy on me."

"I won't." Marinette promised, imagining Adrien to be... A banana! Perfect. No wait. He might pull it off actually. 'Bananadrien. Pftt. That should turn into a meme-'

"?!" Marinette takes a step back at the lunge, quickly lowered her blade as she jumped to thrust the retreating figure.

"Attaque! Touche. Point!" Mr. D'Argencourt raised his arm towards Marinette, giving a swift nod before speaking. "Continue."

"T-thanks." Marinette retreated back to her position, raising her fencing mask to take a breather.

"It's not over yet." Adrien also raised it, smiling at her. "All I did was lunge. You've got good reflexes."

"Ha ha ha..." Marinette secretly wonders if getting her body thrown like a mannequin fits good reflexes.

"En garde." Adrien readied himself once more. Marinette returned to her position, observing her opponent.

"Prêt, allez!" Adrien and Marinette watched each other, but Adrien was too hasty. He swung his blade which Marinette parried before riposting. He counter-parried her attack so she had to parry his own counter-riposte. Marinette could go on and on with the terms, but it's a simple combat of attacking, parrying and counter-attacking. She could hit him with the blade, but her enemy anticipates that. She has to thrust and end this before she runs out of stamina.

"..." Once she backed away from Adrien, counting the seconds to cancel Adrien's riposte, Marinette initiates a good fashion attack. 'Dangerous but no backing down.'

'You're pretty good.' Marinette acknowledged as Adrien parried her attack to riposte. She parried the attack, quickly executing her counterattack. 'But I'm better!'

"Attack, parry, riposte, counterattack. The point goes to you Marinette..." Adrien's voice made Marinette realize who she was fighting in front of her, almost making her trip as she took a step back. Adrien pulled up his mask, staring at her with awe. "You sure this is your first time fencing?"

"Y-yeah." Marinette pulled up her mask too, laughing slightly. _Is fencing ~~as Lady Noire~~ with the mannequins ~~she purchased for her clothes~~ make her an expert?_ Before Adrien could lower his mask, Marinette asked something itching her mind. "If everything is happening too fast and both fencers lunged, who gets the point?"

"Hmm... We don't always know for sure. That's why you can also abstain." Adrien explained and Marinette now knows why Plagg isn't that finicky on sports. Winning is different from surviving. Sometimes, playing dirty saves the city. Marinette isn't good with playing dirty. Adrien lowered his helmet. "Shall we continue?"

"Hn." Marinette lowers her helmet and readies her position. Adrien readies as well and Marinette wonders why he wears gloves in both hands. Is he ambidextrous or is this under Gabriel's instructions? 'What a mystery.'

"Now I won't hold back." Adrien promised and Marinette giggled.

"That's what you said when we played Ultimate Mecha Strike III." Marinette teased and Adrien prep jumps a bit. Marinette finds that fascinating. She's seen this in videos, but she finds this move a sign of restlessness, impatience or maybe calming the nerves.

Adrien takes small steps, different from the usual and taps her sword. _Beat?_ Marinette parries the attack and riposte. However, she sees Adrien ready to parry her saber and twirls her saber to poke him at the bib. That didn't stop Adrien from having his saber poke her fencing mask.

'This is kinda fun.' Marinette quickly moves back while Adrien pulls his fencing mask up. 'Reminds me of bug- STOP MIND!'

"That was a disengage." Adrien commented, staring at the flustered bluenette.

"It's all... All luck. Trust me!" Marinette is glad she has her mask on or he'd know she's lying. Feinting her attacks on enemies with close-quarter weapons is a must when she's dealing with mind-controlled civilians or petty criminals trying to steal from her home! _Adrien also fights like Misterbug but no no no! NOT POSSIBLE!_

"I'd be surprise if Mr. D'Argencourt didn't recruit you." Adrien is singing her praises.

'Don't let it get in my head.' Marinette doesn't need her ice cream soulmate to distract her. She can also feel eyes staring at them. Ignore it. 'They are probably done that's why they're staring. It's surely not because I'm making Adrien look bad. Oh no! What if I am making Adrien look bad?!'

"L-last..." One more bout. Marinette is done with thrusting and wants more experience with slashing. Saber is the only fencing category with the slashing. She is also with an experienced saber coach to correct her. 'Now or never.'

"En garde." Adrien spoke and Marinette got into position. "Prêt... (Marinette hears someone gasp.) Alle-!"

"HEY YOU!"

"?!" Marinette immediately pulls the helmet off her head, staring at the current situation in her hands. Majority of them have their helmets on their arms, body positioned to stare at her and Adrien. 'Oh my PLAGG! Did I take that long with Adrien?! Saber is supposed to be fast so SO how?!'

"Are you Mr. D'Argencourt, the fencing master?" A red figure stands at the scoring box, carrying even a crimson saber. Marinette wants to know how and why you'd have matching crimson gears. Harder to steal? Signature color?

'Waaait. What if that's Misterbug?!' Marinette gasped.

"I wanna join your team." The mysterious figure requests.

'Wait. False alarm. It's a girl...' Marinette wiped invisible sweat from her forehead. She watched the professional fencer take a step forward at the masked entity. 'But what if Misterbug's kwami changed his vocal cords?! What if Misterbug was lying about his gender to keep his/her identity a secret?!'

"Only the best are admitted here, you **knave**." Mr. D'Argencourt is testing the stranger's courage. She/he did not disappoint.

"And I was, everywhere I went." The red fencer even did a cool swinging motion with the saber. Marinette has a feeling this person has trained in a different field of swordsmanship before learning fencing. A hunch, a cat instinct if one can call it.

"Part le fer! This whippersnapper has nerve!" Mr. D'Argencourt smirked. Marinette wished he didn't do this. He ordered all of them to come here early or else they're disqualified and then this dudette/dude (Marinette does not want to judge) comes in and everything is all right?! Marinette squints at the biased teacher. Mr. D'Argencourt continued, "All right! I may consider your admission, shall you defeat one of my students."  
 ****

"Which one of you is the best combatant?!" The entity strides forward, confident and smug in her/his own right. Marinette watched the students step aside. The only one who didn't move is Adrien.

"You should give your all on them." Marinette murmured as Adrien pulled his mask up.

"I will." Adrien whispers back as Mr. D'Argencourt smiled at his direction.

"Adrien, please give our visitor a lesson in chivalry." Mr. D'Argencourt requests as the other students prepare the scoring equipment.

"I shall, Master." Adrien smiled as he lowered his helmet. He walks forward and Marinette is surrounded by the other students.

"You are so good, Mari." A student in a lower level commented and Marinette could only nod awkwardly. "Even Mr. D'Argencourt was watching the bout."

"It's all luck." Marinette waves it off, looking back as the fellow students hook the competitors with something. "Hold up. What if they defeat Adrien. Does that mean we came here for nothing?"

"I-Hmm..." One of Mr. D'Argencourt's students scratched his chin. "Usually, yes. (Marinette saw that coming. Same guy who didn't like democracy so she can't complain.) But I don't think so in this case."

"I know right? He was actually flipping through the clipboard and reading your background, M." Another student from the student council mutters behind her, resting her hands onto her back. Marinette quickly moves forward, feeling quite odd with the touch. The girl didn't notice, smiling at the bluenette. "Maybe you two will fight as well?"

"Hmm..." Marinette turns back to stare at the battle just in time to see the man/woman(?) swing her saber blade around. Marinette squints, "Fancy. They might have won D'Argencourt over."

"It's not over yet, he still has to beat Adrien." The student to Marinette's left pointed at Adrien. Marinette pursed her lips, pretty sure Adrien isn't perfection now that she beat him in two games. The latter is reasonable because she has tons of experience as Lady Noire.

"Allez!" Mr. D'Argencourt declared and both lunged at the same time. Marinette watched the buzzers both light up. Simultaneous. It's as if these two have the same wavelength. However, Marinette can see that Adrien was a split second faster. _Not her call unfortunately._ Marinette tilted her head, observing if there will be deviation. Another lunge, simultaneous but the stranger wins first. Mr. D'Argencourt abstains while Marinette prays for more slashing action.

"What's happening?" One of the students asked.

"Mr D'Argencourt isn't sure who won, so he's chosen to abstain. This is a tight bout." Marinette's left is more loud than her right. The right seems to be stunned at the speed of the two fencers.

"Psst." Plagg whispered in her outer jacket. Marinette pales.

"What was that?" One of the students asked and Marinette coughs.

"S-sorry. Bad cough." Marinette waves her hand, trying to reassure them her jacket is not talking. 'Plagg you devil!'

"I request that we do it the old-fashioned way. We'll be much more at ease without the machine." Crimson (Marinette is tired of the gender pronouns) requested. Mr. D'Argencourt stared at Adrien.

"Fine with me." Adrien unplugs the body cord.

"I am going to the locker first. Be right back." Marinette pushed from the crowd, trusting Adrien (the love of his life) not to die from Crimson. If he does die, Mr. D'Argencourt will have his head served in a golden platter.

"En garde..."

"Plagg! I told you to stay in the locker!" Marinette hissed as walked away from the crowd.

"I'm boorreeeddd." Plagg whined. Marinette rolled her eyes. "And hungry! So hungry I could die."

"Prêt..."

"It hasn't even been..." Marinette checks her phone as she reached the locker room area. "An hour!"

"I don't care. It's boring. Boredom makes me hungry." Plagg stuck his head out and gave her the kitten eyes.

"You fiend." Marinette curses the imp, closing the door behind her. The teacher's voice can even be heard from here.

"Allez!"

"You love me either way!" Plagg cheered and Marinette relents.

"Let's find you some cheese." Marinette heads to her school locker. She must have cheese packed in there. She ignores the screams and cheers outside, twisting her lock to open her locker. She grabbed a can, smiling. "There we go."

"Cheese!" Plagg went to the can as soon as Marinette opened it. The aroma might stick to her but it's not as bad as Camembert. Expensive, stinky Camembert is to be fed only at home.

"Eat up." Marinette then checked her phone, first checking the Ladyblog for any akuma. If there is an akuma, Marinette will not hesitate to skip the try-outs. Misterbug needs her and she will not watch his bum get handed by an akuma. Oh. Marinette rest her head on the other locker beside her. "Why is Alya fangirling on this... Clara Nightingale person?"

"Girl stuff. You should check it." Plagg suggested, chewing on his cheese.

"I should... It's not like I'll get addicted to it.." Marinette downloads some videos and songs to try listening to later.

" **Big bang** is the latest hit single." Marinette contemplates on pressing the button until she heard the door slam open. Marinette placed the cheese can down and locked her locker, turning around to face the intruder/stranger. "Who's there?!"

"They had a tie and Mr. D'Argencourt wants you to fight next!" The student tugged her, causing Marinette to look behind to see a snickering black cat before the door closed.

* * *

First thing Marinette noticed are the loud chatter of both newbies and fencers. Adrien seems to be at awe with crimson. Marinette still doesn't know if they are a girl or boy because Adrien might be bisexual. His attitude though... It's like a lovestruck boy. **A love rival?!** It's the only logical explanation with his silence and the outcome of the battle.

"Ah Marinette." Mr. D'Argencourt stared at her and Marinette blinked, suddenly receiving a saber and fencing mask. "I do not wish to be impartial as to ignore your skills due to the newcomer. Come and let us see who is better between the two of you."

"All right." Marinette walked to the lane, staring at the fancy fencer. Crimson isn't a killer with how dramatic their moves are. The battlefield has no time for extra movement. Stamina must be conserved. Each attack must be lethal. Marinette then remembers this is a sport so fancy actions has to be a sign of dominance.

'No yes?' Marinette scratched her head, confused. "How will we battle?"

"The traditional style." Mr. D'Argencourt shrugged and Marinette had to look at this mustached man with a raised eyebrow. Mr. D'Argencourt added quickly. "But do stay at the courtyard. The librarian got angry at us with what occurred in the last bout."

"... Understood." Both crimson and Marinette nodded. Marinette wore her helmet and readied her position while the stranger got ready doing... Some fancy martial art technique with the blade.

"En garde! Prêt, allez!"

"!" Marinette goes onto the defensive, expecting the mad slashing and quick execution of attacks. Familiar moves. _Like Misterbug. No! Mari stop! Misterbug can't be here! Plagg would tell me!_

Marinette begins to counter, pushing forward. Since this is battle, there is no limit on the field. They can circle and jump- Her love rival jumps very high.

'Fantastic.' Marinette quickly parried the attack, growing rather fatigue with the onslaught. She is mostly on the defensive, waiting for an opening.

'No opening.' Marinette jumped off the stairs, ignoring the screams as she landed safe- parrying the opponent literally falling with a vertical slash. She could have avoided Crimson, but she can't risk the person to break some bones.. even if it's her love rival. The blade slid down to her guard before Marinette flung the blade away. It's like she's fighting with blades but very thin blades. If she had Plagg with her, Marinette is darn confident her blade would have gotten destroyed. Marinette quickly retreated three times to avoid the flying lunge.

'I'll have to make one.' Marinette is breathing through her mouth. 'A risky move but it could work.'

'Come on.' Marinette feints and baits the stranger forward. Marinette 'slows' down, faking fatigue before dodging her rival's lunge.

Marinette smacked the other's blade down, strong enough to cause it to fly off the other's hands, and slapped the other's arm. They're close, very close that Marinette almost thought this love rival would headbutt her. Again. Marinette forgets this is all a sport and not a battlefield. The opponent takes a step back and Marinette did as well.

"One more." Crimson demanded and Marinette nodded. The noise is getting louder. Marinette is feeling all hot in this suit. _How can anyone get used to wearing this?_

"En garde! Prêt, allez!"

"?!" Marinette didn't expect a feint slashing upward, only to see the blade quickly go to the side and slapped her back. Marinette winced. She should really focus and ignore her body's screams. Now she remembers what she should have done before starting fencing. **Stretching**. Marinette really should have done some stretching before starting this.

"Maybe she's getting tired?" One of the students mumbled.

"Well. Mari is a beginner." The other spoke out.

"The first one to get a point will win." Mr. D'Argencourt declared and both got into position. "En garde! Prêt.. (Marinette is getting tired, really tired.) Allez!"

"Tsk." Marinette went back to the basics. She went back to the lunge, parry, riposte technique. All this dramatic swishing and slapping the air tires her out immensely. If she swings wide, she's opening herself to attack. At least with the basics, she can guard herself. The enemy becomes predictable. 'Nope. Still difficult.'

'Screw it. I'm tired.' After a number of quick attack and parries, Marinette and crimson reached the top stairs when they both lunged at each other. She feels so light-headed, needing to hold a rail just so she wouldn't fall... Marinette might not make it in fencing, but this fencer can. Too violent like a tornado yet strangely fluid like a bursting dam, the crimson fencer has to be a part of this team. A formidable fencer if taught properly-

"Marinette wins the point." Mr. D'Argencourt declares and Marinette blinks. They slowly lowered their blades, breathing heavily as they stare at each other.

"I lost." Crimson muttered.

"I think she got the point." Marinette removes her helmet, leaning on the rail. If this is fencing every day, she wants no part of it. Misterbug will understand. She's sure of it. "I... I felt the (Marinette looks up at the sky.) The point hit me first!"

"I don't need your sympathy!" Crimson moved passed her, dropping the crimson saber onto the floor.

'You win in real battle.' Marinette closed her eyes, listening to the metal clang. Getting hit at the bib technically means she should be dead in real battle. 'Take a deep breath and...'

'Prepare for the seconds before an akuma attacks.' Marinette thought as she opened her eyes. _She has to go after the fencer_. Marinette begins to descend, ignoring the students who gaped at her ability to jump and land safely without breaking her bones.

"Dupain-Cheng." Mr. D'Argencourt called and Marinette grabbed the crimson saber.

"I'll offer a decisive battle with the fencer." Marinette calls out, giving one last look at the instructor. "I know she won our bout and it would be easier to realize this if we had fought under the rules. I'll let you know the results later."

...

"Wait!" Marinette decided to use an abandoned plank on the floor, recklessly sliding down the stairs with the plank and landing at the bottom. "Your saber!"

"?!" Marinette managed to reach the crimson fencer before they entered their car, staring at a blue-haired female.

"What?" The woman asked. Marinette blinked.

"Let's do a decisive battle. What happened back there was extremely unorthodox. It's wrong." Marinette explained to possibly her partner(?) "I want to have a proper match with you!"

"What's the point? You won. There's no such thing as a second chance in my family." The way she described her family does remind Marinette of Misterbug. The short-haired woman got in her car, refusing to accept the crimson saber back. "Goodbye."

"Wait!" Marinette held onto the glass as the car started up. The possibility that this could be Misterbug is there. Even if she wasn't, Marinette won't leave this person. "What's your name?!" 

"Heeeyy!" Marinette yelled as the car drove off. Marinette huffed and turned to see Adrien running towards her area. "Adrien. Can I borrow your driver?"

"Oh sure-?!" Adrien watched Marinette enter his car where Gorilla was, slamming the door and screaming at his chauffeur.

"After that pink car!" Marinette ordered and the Gorilla, out of panicked and slight understanding, agreed.

"Then cheese." Plagg's whisper made Marinette fall off her chair.

"Stinky!" Marinette hissed and the black cat kwami smiled.

"Bread." Plagg stuck his tongue out.

Neither parties heard the blonde screaming at them to let him come along.

Adrien did notice a terrible purple butterfly in the sky following the car. 'Urgghh!'

* * *

...

"Claws in.." Lady Noire winced as she hid behind the cat statue. She de-transforms back to Marinette. Great. She might have twisted her ankle without her knowing during the cat and mouse chase. She never thought Misterbug would be so protective over her, but maybe Misterbug knew the situation? 'At least I know Crimson-errr-Kagami isn't Misterbug... But Misterbug knows Kagami...'

"I should've never suggested training~" Plagg rubbed his belly. "I'm Soo hungryy~!"

"Later. I promise." Marinette peeked at the two friends(?) Marinette noticed Kagami (Misterbug calls her Kagami.) walk away so she stuffed Plagg in her pocket and carried the only surviving saber (Kagami's saber.)

"Is something wrong, Misterbug?" Marinette asked and her partner tackle hugged her. Marinette laughs, having one foot stepped back just so they wouldn't topple down to the ground.

"I thought I lost you!" Misterbug sounded so worried. Marinette frowned, giving him a pat.

"Sorry. I thought it would be better if I hid not in a sarcophagus, you know?" Marinette offered and looked back at the retreating entity. "Sorry. I have to do something first!"

"No problem." Misterbug let's go as Marinette rushed to meet Kagami.

"Kagami!" Marinette called out before Kagami reached the exit. She huffed, offering the crimson blade. "Don't you dare deny we didn't do a decisive battle and the fact that you won."

"I was being controlled by an akuma." Kagami glared back at Marinette who rolled her eyes.

"The akuma can only increase power output and not skill." Marinette offered the saber once more. "I also know you underestimated me during the battle in the Academy. Had you given your all, you would have won."

"I-" Before Kagami would speak, Marinette shoved the saber in her hands.

"Admit it. You underestimated me because I'm a beginner. But now that you knew what I'm capable of, you gave it your all during battle and I lost." Marinette is not lying. She did fight Riposte as Lady Noire and whew! Kagami is good. She might have even learned a trick or two from her fellow Asian. "Kagami. Look at me. (Marinette stared at bronze.) We fought at equal grounds and I clearly lack experience. Mr. D'Argencourt needs people like you in the team. Please reconsider?"

"Are you sure we should consider _this_ a decisive battle?" Kagami whispered, staring at bluebells. "And what if he doesn't approve?"

"He will." Marinette promised, hands resting against Kagami's own so the woman wouldn't drop her saber. "He will because Mr. D'Argencourt sees the potential brimming in you. He only pitied me because he knows my attendance record. Expect waking up early starting tomorrow. That man is merciless, but colorful in the insult vocabulary."

"You really are an odd girl." Kagami chuckled and Marinette pulled away.

"Hey! Who told you that?" Marinette crossed her arms.

"Sources." Kagami smiled and Marinette couldn't get angry at this girl, even if she's a love rival.

*Beep. Beep.

"I have to go." Kagami checked her phone before smiling back at her. "Kagami Tsurugi."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Marinette formally introduced herself to her love rival.

"See you then." Kagami walked out of the area. Marinette waits before limping towards the door.

*Thud.

"That's what you get for pretending you didn't sprain an ankle." Plagg huffed, popping out from Marinette's jacket as the bluenette covered her mouth. "All them ligaments probably snapped."

"..." Tears fall down. It really hurts! Marinette shut her eyes as Plagg stared at the swollen ankle.

"If I were Tikki, I would have that cured." Plagg frowned. "But I'm not. I could amputate the leg but you wouldn't want that."

"Y-you think we can escape using Lady Noire-ack?!" Marinette wiped her tears, taking deep breaths and holy concepts of life and death! 'Don't leave me adrenaline!'

"We could..." Plagg's ears perked and he peeked outside the museum. "Oh hey! Sunshine and your friend is chatting."

"W-what?!" Marinette fell off her sitting area, using her arm to push herself to see what's going on.

"You like her a lot, huh?" Kagami smiled, watching the male.

"Marinette? Yeah, of course!" Adrien supplied. "She's a very good friend, and you'll really like her too, once you get to know her."

"Friendzoned..." Plagg squinted while Marinette rest her face on the marble ground.

"A very good friend..." Marinette sulked. 'This is a terrible day!'

"Like I said, dump the kid and be single." Plagg stretched his arms, flopping on Marinette's black jacket. "Or better. Go for Lovebug and have the worst type of relationship."

"I just realized I like LIKE him, Plagg.. Those feelings just don't go away. Feelings are weird." Marinette raised her head, looking back to see Kagami and Adrien shaking hands. "Besides, superhero relationships are hard to keep... Misterbug is extremely busy and it'll be like those movies with the long-distance call stuff."

"We still have the option of being single." Plagg hid in her inner pocket. "And hey! If you're his _good_ friend, maybe you can be his wingman?"

"I hate you Plagg..." Marinette sulked, "Urggh... My ankle is numb. Now what?"

"We could transform and buy me cheese?" Plagg snickered and Marinette blew air out of her mouth.

"You and your cheese..." Marinette dragged herself outside.

"What are you doing?" Plagg asked, hiding deeper into her pocket.

"Being a normal person." Marinette hissed, calling to the security guard. "HELP! I think I broke my ankle!"

"Stay right there! I'll get the clutch." The security guard knows Marinette, which is a relief because any other guard would think she's lying.

"That's pretty accurate." Plagg remarked and Marinette pat her chest to reprimand the cat. She'll talk to D'Argencourt later.

**Author's Note:**

> Kagami knows Marinette is a love rival for Adrien's affection and vice versa.
> 
> Yeah boy. They're friend/love rivals. :3


End file.
